Stringed musical instrument



March 18, 1930. J. DOPYERA STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed March 28, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m m m N I.

diinflquyerw BY I A ORNEY.

March 18, 1930. J. DOPYERA 1,750,881

STRINGED MUS ICAL INSTRUMENT Filed March 28, 1928 2 Sheets$heat 2 67 INVENTOR. JOVULDJFyeBa, y Bzwaw ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 18-, 193

FFEQEZ JOHN DOPE'ERA, SF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA STRZNGEED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Implication filed hiarch 28, 1928.

This invention relates in general to stringed musical instruments, and more particularly harps, and the main object is to provide in a harp of usual character a plurality 5 of diaphragms arranged for connection with the strings of the instrument and serving as resonators, by means of which the tones pro duced by vibrating the strings will be substantially amplified.

Another object is to pi vide in a harp a plurality of metallic diaphragms or resonators of the general character and for the same purpose as those employed in the instrument of my invention shown in my pending application for Letters Patent in the United States filed Oct. 12, 1926, Serial Number 141,115.

It is contemplated in the present invention to provide a plurality of metallic diaphragms or resonators in the sound box of the harp and to arrange the same singly or in pairs throughout the length thereof and to connect them with the strings or the instrument at intervals in such a manner that the volume of the instrument will be substantially increased.

In a harp or other stringed musical instrument to which the metallic diaphragms or resonators are applied for the purpose of amplification, it is desirable to 1 rovide diaphragins of conical form and of metal, preferably aluminum, which is so thin that it may be readily flexed or indented at local points by pressure thereon.

lVith these and other objects in view, 1 have shown a preferred form of invention in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a well known 40 type oi harp to which my invention is applied.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the same showing a portion of the sound box rith the resonators mounted thereon and connected with the strings of the instrument.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the sound box with the outer cover removed and showing the complete assembly of resonators.

F d is a section of the same on line 4r l of Fig. 5.

Serial No. 265,254.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the sound box.

Fig. 6 is a fragn'ientary section 01 the sound box showing a preferred method of forming and mounting the resonators.

New referring to Fig. 1, in which a typical form of harp is shown, such an instrument comprises a. base B. a sound box C inclined upwardly at an angle from the base, a standard D for vardly of the sound box and an arch A connecting the upper ends of the sound box and the standard. The sound box C has a compartment C formed therew'thin and surrounded by an arcuate metallic casing which is provided with an opening 0 in the rear side thereof. he front of the sound box has a shallow compartment E formed between a front cover-plate and a partition 6, as shown in Fig. 5. The strings S, S etc. of the instrument are attached in the usual manner to the arch A at their upper ends and extend through an elongated slot 2 in the coverplate 0 and through bayonet slots 3, 3 etc. in an angle bar F, which is positioned inter mediately between the plate a and the partition a. The lower ends of the strings extend through said partition and are secured in the usual manner as shown in Fig. 5.

I provide on the sides of and below the bar F a series of metallic diaphragms G, G etc. and G, G etc. respectively. Said diaphragms are of conical term and are mounted with the bases of the cones on the outer sides of the partition 0. The diaphragms are arranged in pairs transversely and the apices of the cones of each pair are engaged by transversely disposed bridges H, H etc. which overlie the diaphragms and underlie the bar F. as shown in Fig. Thus it will be observed that when the strings S are taut the lower portions S of the strings between the bar F and the partition 6 will be bent at angles with respect to the upper portions oi the strings so that the strings will trictionally engage the ends of the bayonet slots 3 in the bar F and the vibration from such strings will be communicated through the bar F and the bridges H to the resonators G and G when the instrument is played.

It will bev noted by reference to Fig. 3 that the sound box C of the instrument gradually decreases in area upwardly as the pitch of the strings increases and I prefer to graduate the size of the diaphragms G and G correspondingly, as shown in Fig. 8.

I prefer to form the resonators G and G with beads l internally of theedges 5 thereof in order to increasethe vibrational qualities of the diaphragms, altho they may be otherwise formed as shown in the drawings With more or less satisfactory-results;

The details of structure and the manner of attaching the diaphragms to'th'epartition e are not material to this invention.

The structure shown and described can obviously be app-lied to any instrument after the same has been constructed merely by adding the resonators G and G" and the bridges H. It is important, ofcourse, that apertures 5 9 etc. be provided'in the partition 6 beconducting the sound outwardly from the sound box.

Theuse and operation of my improvements in connection with a harp will be readily appreciated by thosefamiliar with the manufacture and-use; "of-such instruments, and I conceive'it tobepossible to modify the structureto meet demands of use within the scope ofthe appended claims without departing from the spirit'of my: invention.

lVhat I. claim is:

1. riharp, comprising a frame including a sound box-provided with an inner partition and acover-plate spaced therefrom, said cover-plate having a slot therein and said partition lnving a plurality of'aper'tures, a plurality of strings held in'tension on said frame extending through the slot in said cover-plate and attached at theirlower ends tosai-d-partition, means below said coverplate for engaging-andholding the strings intensi-on, a plurality of metallic conical diaphragms mounted on and over the openings in said partition and connectedat their apices with said tensioning means While conimunicatin-g' the vibrations from the strings to therli aph-ra-gms;

L. rec-harp comprising a frameinclu'dinga soun'dbox, provided-With an inner partition and-a cover-plate spaced therefrom, said cover-plate having a slottherein, alpluralityofstrings he'ld in tension on said'frame and extending thru the slot 7 in the cover-plate,

means internally of the cover-plate for en'- gaging-v holding. the strings in tension,

and plurality; of: metallic diaphragms mounted on said partition and connected with said tensiomng'lmeans -fori communicating-the vibrations front the: strings to the: (ha-- phragms. v 7

3.; A -hariii comprislngzaifranie ancludlng a sound box having an inner partition and a cover-plate spaced therefrom, a pluality of strings held in tension on said frame and extending thru said cover-plate, a plurality of resonators mounted on said partition, bridges connecting sets of said resonators, and a bar engaging said strings and said bridges for communicating the vibrations from a the strings to the resonators. ,7

4:. A harp comprising a frame including a soundbox, a partition and a cover-plate spaced apart on said sound box, strings held in tension on said frame extended thru said cover-plate and attached to said partition, a plurality of resonators mounted on said partition, bridges connecting sets of said resonators,- and a bar engaging said bridges and having recesses for engaging said strings whereby the vibrations from the strings may be communicated to the resonators.

5. L harp comprising a frame having a standard and a sound box inclined upwardly from the base of-the frame, a head piece connecting the upper extremities of-said sound box-and said standard, a partition in said sound box, a cover-plate on the sound box spaced-therefrom, strings'attached at opposite'extremities to said head piece and to said a partition, a plurality of diaphragms mounted onsaid partition, and-means connecting said diaphragins and said strings for-communicating the vibrations from the st'rin'gs'to the diaphragms.

JOHN DOPYERA; 

